Quique Setien & Real Betis: La Liga’s Feel-Good Story of the Season

Real Betis are currently settled in 5th place on the La Liga table. They are such a joy to watch and the promised land of European competition is already a reality.

They have been one of the most entertaining sides this season, not only in Spain, but across Europe. What has made them so intriguing and desirable to watch orientates around the tactics used by manager Quique Setien.

After some terrible years with awful managers (such as Poyet or Del Amo), Betis finally can enjoy a good and professional coach.

Last season, they finished with their 15th place, and previous manager Victor Sánchez was set to leave, so the club contracted Quique Setién. Between 2015 and 2017, he has managed to establish a Las Palmas side playing proactive, entertaining football despite their lower position on the table.

Setien’s teams are known for playing with possession and eloquence. Betis are no different.

After an amazing start of the season, with even a victory against Real Madrid in their own stadium, Betis have passed throughout a very bad part of the season. Most of the teams after the first 10 weeks of the season have learnt how they can block Setien’s gameplay and the result was 2 months without a win, even losing against Cadiz in Copa del Rey 3-5 (a team which belongs to second division).

Despite that, he stayed true to his methods and he and his players continued to trust in a philosophy regardless of result or circumstance. Setien has been able to reset the team and they have started to play more properly. They have achieved six victories in their last six meetings and they have kept a clean sheet in five of them.

Outstanding figures have led Verdiblancos to the best streak in the history of Andalusian team, enabling the Spanish team to accrue the most points ahead of any La Liga side in the last twelve days.

Setien’s team, at first, gives an impression that a top club is playing and not a middle-table one. His Betis side, at times, have played football at least comparable to anything produced by Guardiola’s City and Sarri’s Napoli. And may that well continue.